


Bella's Guide Wolf

by mooglez



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 09:53:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8662906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooglez/pseuds/mooglez
Summary: Paul was horribly disfigured after a vampire attack. Bella was blinded by one. An imprint story with 'Beauty and the Beast' undertones. One shot.





	

' _He's approaching the cliffside. Sam, Embry, box it in. Paul take the rear.'_

The men raced after the intruder on all fours, easily keeping pace with the vampire in their wolf forms. Without a moment's hesitation they obeyed the order from Jacob, the pack leader, and begun the delicate play with the blood-sucker. One wrong move, a side-step too slow or too fast and the leech would be over the cliffs before they had the chance to sink their fangs into its cold, dead flesh.

Sam ran parallel next to the creature at blinding speeds, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he started to enjoy the chase. Embry took the other side, caging the nervous vampire between them.

Every time one would get close enough to snap their fangs the vampire would shift to the other side instinctively, only to be met with another pair of snapping fangs.

' _Stop fucking around,'_ Paul growled out.

Not waiting any longer for a killing order from Jacob, Paul sprung onto the back of the vampire, knocking it down with his entire massive frame.

"Wait!" The creature tried to scream, its voice muffled by the dirt it was pressed into, before Paul's mouth latched onto the side of its exposed throat, and tore through it like butter. It was over within seconds. Far too quick to bring any kind of satisfaction from the act but he didn't care. A dead vamp was satisfying on its own.

' _What the hell was that, Paul?'_ Jacob demanded, slowly running up from behind to assess him.

Paul spat out some of the remains of corpse towards his alpha. ' _That was what we should have been doing ten minutes ago. I had the opportunity. I took it.'_

' _Your job isn't to take opportunities. It's to follow orders._ My _orders.'_

' _Because your orders are never wrong, right Jake?'_ Paul laughed without humour. It was a rhetorical question aimed to hurt Jacob where he was most sensitive - his leadership abilities.

When Jacob had first taken over from Sam as pack leader he made poor decision after poor decision, all of which Paul followed faithfully. Unquestionably. But it was Jacob's decision to not immediately attack a stray, cornered vampire several months ago that was the turning point for Paul. Now everything in his life could be neatly categorised into two parts: before his scars and after.

The rogue vampire had taken Jacob's hesitation to attack as weakness and launched himself at Paul, thinking he was the bigger threat of the two. The vampire carved up his face into almost unrecognisable shreds, tearing whole pieces from his snout and jaw, and chipping away bone before Paul was able to haul him off and return the favour. Unfortunately not in time to save his looks; he was left with a face not even the cheapest of prostitutes would take as a client. And he would know — he tried them all.

' _That isn't fair,'_ Jacob all but whined now. ' _You know how much I regret what happened. How much I blame myself.'_

' _I know.'_ He couldn't bring himself to apologise for his harsh words. He blamed Jacob, too. ' _I'm going to patrol the perimeter after cleaning this scumbag up.'_

' _It's not your turn to patrol.'_

' _I need this.'_

' _Okay.'_ Jacob conceded as he took in the ragged appearance of his pack mate. Paul's wolf was missing large parts of his snout and fur but he was still one of the best trackers any of the Quileutes have seen. Missing nose or not. ' _Come back to Sam's when you're finished.'_

' _Sure thing,'_ he answered, not meaning a word of it. He already knew of his night plans and none of them involved being on two legs or around people. No, he much preferred being a beast.

* * *

Nine in the morning and Paul was already bored. He flipped through the old magazines left out for customers as he waited for something to happen, already regretting his decision to stay out so late. It made coming to work early the next day a hassle.

Although not technically employed by the Black family, he was given the position of customer service, working the front of the mechanic shop on the days he could, much to the dismay of both him and every person who walked through the doors.

When the bell finally chimed, signalling an arrival, he forced his mangled face into something he hoped looked non-threatening. A lopsided smile and innocent wide eyes. It clearly didn't work if the terrified, dismayed look on the business woman's face was any indication.

She stopped just inside the entrance of the tiny room and staunchly refused to meet his gaze.

"I'm here for my car," she whispered, frightened. Paul resisted the urge to growl. "It's a green sedan."

"Ticket," Paul said, his hand outstretched.

The woman shuffled forward just a foot or two, and reached into her purse, pulling out a worn receipt. She flung, _flung,_ it at him so she didn't have to get any closer. As if his face was somehow contagious. Did she think her nose would fall off too if his fingers accidentally grazed hers?

Paul watched as the slip of paper drifted to the floor and snarled loud enough that the woman retreated all the way back to the door.

"I'll be right back," he said, his jaw tight in anger. He all but stormed out of the waiting room and into the garage where Jacob and Embry were working.

"I know," Jacob said, already wiping his greasy hands down his denim overalls. "Miss Fischer is here for her car. Why didn't you bring her around the back?"

"I don't think she'd appreciate having to deal with me more than she had to."

"Paul," he said reprimandingly. He tapped his ear. "I heard what she said, it wasn't rude. She was only… nervous."

"She dropped her ticket to the ground so she didn't have to get close to me. You go handle her."

Embry wheeled out from under an old truck and jumped up. A streak of grease was smeared over his forehead that he made worse by wiping at furiously. "Oh, Kelly's here? I'll bring her in. She's a hottie."

He gave Jacob and Paul a sly wink before strutting out to meet the business woman. Only a few seconds later the chime of high-pitched feminine giggles sounded out.

Paul sighed hard. It wasn't too long ago that those sounds had been easy for him to pull from a woman's throat as well. Now it was either gasps or screams.

"Whatever," he muttered, turning to Jacob who was eyeing him cautiously. "You sure you want me out working the front? I'm losing you more people than I'm bringing in."

"You're still human, Paul," Jacob said before coughing. "Well, not really, but to them you are, and I'll be damned if I let anyone make you feel like you have to hide out here in the back."

"I don't feel like I _have_ to-"

"So you're an ugly mutt now," Jacob interrupted. "So what. You can still do what you need to, can't you?"

Paul snarled at the insult.

"Then get back out there and do it."

By the time Paul walked back out the front, his arms crossed ready for a mental fight with the business woman, he saw both she and Embry had disappeared. And from the smell of feminine arousal in the air it wasn't to get her car. He rubbed the puckered skin in between his eyebrows angrily as the bell above the door chimed again.

He stood at attention when he noticed it was the Chief of Police who had walked in, his arm around a dainty female. His respect for Charlie grew when he only paled at the sight of Paul's face, rather than flinch, gasp, or in the very worst case he'd had so far, vomit and faint. In that order.

Paul didn't miss the way the chief's arm tightened on the young female however, and ran an appreciative eye over her lush body. Lush as she may be, she was also tiny and clutching at the chief's arm, shaking just the smallest bit.

Great. Probably another fainter. Beautiful women always were in Paul's experience and she was possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Unruly mahogany hair and full pink lips, darkened from biting. Creamy skin _he_ wanted to be biting.

"Paul," Chief Swan said with a nod. "It's good to see you."

Unlikely but Paul nodded back silently anyway, keeping his eye on the woman. Hell, she wasn't just beautiful, she smelled amazing. Mouth-watering. Now he actually _was_ tempted to bite into her to see if her flesh would be just as delicious as her scent. How could a slip of a woman be so intoxicating? Especially to a man without an entire nose.

He nodded politely at her as well but she wouldn't look directly at him, not even for half a second, her gaze only coming up far enough to reach his less scarred neck. A helluva lot easier to look at than his face.

His heart plummeted into his stomach.

What the hell did he think would happen. Even hardened criminals couldn't stand looking at him directly and here he was, so taken by a woman that he had forgotten, for half a fucking second, that she would never be taken with him in return. It made him mad enough that he was tempted to go out patrolling for leeches this very instant, just for the satisfaction of breaking their faces in while picturing the vampire who had taken his own from him.

A year ago he could've had this woman in his bed by sundown.

Paul shoved out his hand in offerance of a handshake towards the woman, intent on seeing her upset at having to touch the disgusting beast. If she was going to be so blatantly rude he would play that game as well. Maybe she would slap it away instead and show Chief Swan just the sort of person she was.

But God he hoped she would take it, hold it, just so he could savour the feel of her warm skin on his.

"Paul Lahote," he said tightly when she didn't acknowledge his obvious outstretched hand under her nose. Could she be any more rude? He wasn't going to keep it out all day while she made up her mind.

"He has his hand out, sweetheart," the Chief said and the woman's face flushed red as she jerked her head back. Her gaze moved up to his mouth, to his nose, and settled unfocused on his eyes for a split second before moving to his ears.

But that split second was enough. It hit him like a sucker punch in the gut while at the same time he felt, he literally _felt_ the world coming to stop and was surprised he wasn't tossed across the room at the force of it. He stopped breathing.

She was blind.

She was his _mate_.

She was his. His imprint. His blind imprint.

_His._

_Fuck._

He was still stunned, his mouth agape and eyes wide when she reached out cautiously to find his frozen hand, curling her fingers around his and tugging it down in a quick shake.

"Bella Swan," she answered, an absolute brilliant smile lighting up her face, and all Paul could do was stare.

He felt the sweat run down his back and tried to work his mouth to say something. Anything.

He was speechless. Fate must be playing a cruel trick on him. There was no other explanation. Once upon a time, long before the scars, he had been afraid to even think about imprinting on a woman and giving up his bachelorhood. After the scars he had been just as afraid but afraid of the rejection it would surely bring. Now this frail… no, this delicate beauty was his. And he hadn't the slightest idea of what to do. Where to start. What to even say.

"It's rude to stare, son," Chief Swan said with a heavy, disapproving frown. "You of all people should know that."

Clearly he thought Paul was staring at how Bella's blind eyes were completely misted over, the light brown taking over the entire iris without any hint of a pupil. She was completely blind, that much was obvious.

Bella's smile wobbled and dropped entirely as her eyes drifted back down to the ground. She pulled her hand out of his frozen one, and wrung it nervously in front of her.

_Damn it._

"I didn't… mean to stare."

"Billy around?" Chief said and pulled Bella back into his side.

"No."

"What about Jake?" Bella asked.

" _No,"_ he growled out, but not in answer to her question. Some deep, primitive side of himself was reeling at the sound of another man's name on his mate's tongue, so soon after he found her and before he had the chance to stake his claim. He wouldn't give her the chance to find another male a more appealing option for a mate.

Charlie turned to his daughter with a frown. "Maybe you should come back with me to the station for the day. We'll find you something to do there."

"She can stay here," Paul interjected, his eyes not straying from Bella to acknowledge her father. "Jacob's here, he's just busy at the moment. I'll keep her company until he's free."

Bella turned a hopeful look in her father's general direction, who was frowning in concentration.

"'Appreciate it, son, but I don't think so. You have work to do and watching—" he cut himself off. "We'll come back another day."

Paul cut his path off before he could start walking out the door. There was no way he was letting this man take his mate from him. Blood relation or not.

"She can stay," he repeated, leaving no room for doubt that it wasn't so much a suggestion than it was a command. "I will care for her."

Charlie looked unconvinced so Paul continued, "I had a blind aunt I used to care for," he lied. "I know how to watch someone _and_ I know how to do it without making them feel like a burden. Something you obviously don't." He motioned to Bella who was shuffling uncomfortably between them in embarrassment, her face a bright red.

Paul wrapped an arm around her, trying to not get a boner in public from the mere feel of her, and gently moved her from her father's side, nestling her into his instead. He shot Charlie a grimace that had the man finally flinching back from his hideous appearance.

"You want to stay here, Bella?" Charlie asked Bella softly, who nodded once. He tried to look at Paul but lost his nerve at the challenge written on his grotesque face. "Okay. I'll be back for you when my shift ends tonight. You call me the second you need anything. Anything, okay?"

Bella nodded again as Paul's fingers clenched. If she needed anything it'd be _him_ she would go to.

When Charlie finally left — after a few tense words about the manner in which Paul needed to take care of his daughter — Paul dipped down, unable to resist the urge of sniffing her once more. Vanilla and coconut. A strange mix but one that somehow worked on his mate.

His mate.

His smile was borderline feral as he linked his arm with hers and helped her towards the couch.

"The sofa's just behind you. Half a meter down. It's very squishy as well so you'll sink in a little," he said as she gracefully sat. "You okay? Just give me ten seconds, I'll close up and be right back."

Paul raced to the shop door just as Bella started protesting and threw a 'closed' sign up on it, locking it as well to keep unwanted customers out. He was back and sitting at her side before she had finished her protest.

"You didn't have to do that," she said, trying to find where his eyes might be from sounds alone.

He almost shrugged. "I wanted to. Are you hungry or thirsty? I can go put something together."

"I wouldn't mind a glass of water if that's possible," she said and Paul was up, glass of water in hand not thirty seconds later. He took her limp hand and pressed the glass firmly into it, not letting her go until he was sure she had a solid grip.

"Thank you," she smiled. "You don't have to bend over backwards to help me, though."

"What if I want to do just that?"

"Then by all means," she smiled.

He studied her intently as she took careful sips, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup before each drink.

"I can feel you watching me. I'm not going to break the glass or miss my mouth," she said somewhat amused. "I'm blind, not daft."

Once the cup was empty he took it from her and set it on the table. He wasn't sure whether it was insulting to do so or not, not wanting to make her feel incompetent but at the same time not wanting see her hurt or embarrass herself.

"How'd you go blind?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. Tact wasn't his forte. Neither was sensitivity.

She shrugged in response and the crease between his eyebrows deepened.

"Were you born blind?"

"No," she answered. "I became blind almost half a year ago."

So recent. He couldn't begin to imagine what she had to have gone through, not being able to see after a lifetime of vision. "Car crash? Head trauma?"

"You're very rude, you know," she said and sunk back further into the couch, crossing her arms defensively. "Most people are more sensitive about asking questions than that."

Paul winced. "Not in my experience they're not."

Bella sat up a fraction straighter. "What do you mean 'your experience'? What's wrong with you? You can't be blind as well?"

"I'm very ugly."

Her jaw tightened and she curled her fingers into a fist, looking very much like she wanted to strike out at him. "Ah. You mock me because I can't see what you look like."

He took one of her hands into his much larger one and just held it. "I don't. I would never mock you. Not about this and _never_ about your sight."

"What is it then? You've got a funny nose and a few acne scars?"

Paul swallowed hard and let her hands go. "Something like that."

Bella simply stared with her misty, unblinking eyes, that on anyone else might've unnerved Paul. She skimmed her hands over her jeans and picked off some invisible lint.

"I was attacked," she whispered after a few seconds. "No-one believes me so I won't bother with the whole story but my mom and I were attacked when we were living in Phoenix. He killed her, and I ended up blind. That's it."

"That's it?" Paul repeated, suddenly furious at knowing someone had not just physically harmed his mate, but mentally, _emotionally,_ harmed her too. A life gone in seconds, reduced to a mere _that's it._ "Do you know who attacked you?"

 _So that I can rip his throat out and make him watch as I eat it,_ Paul thought. _No, I'll take_ his _eyes and make him eat them instead._ Already Paul was running through locations where he could stash a human male so that his screams won't be heard by anyone of importance.

"No, I'd never seen him before. It's funny, before he attacked he was helping us change a flat on our car. I remember thinking he must've been an angel because he was so helpful and charming, and was the most handsome man I'd ever seen."

Paul felt no jealousy over her admiration. It was hard to be jealous of a man he planned to kill. "Why wouldn't anyone believe that?"

Bella blushed faintly and scratched the back of her neck. "I told people he wasn't a man — that he was a monster."

"That's understandable, he _is_ a monster." A dead monster.

"No, I mean I described a monster. His eyes went from gold to a reddish-black and his mouth produced these _fangs_ out of nowhere, and he bit my throat, just like Dracula."

Paul went still. His body was unmoving but his mind was racing a mile a minute.

"A leech?" he hissed through gritted teeth. "A _vampire_?"

"See! I shouldn't have said anything. You think I'm crazy." She shook her head. "The doctor that stitched my neck up said it was a stab wound. That he must've severed a major artery."

"I don't think you're crazy at all. If you say that's what happened then that's what happened. I completely believe you." Paul wanted to tell her how he knew she wasn't crazy but didn't want to scare her with the thoughts of monsters. He was the only monster she'd ever come into contact with from here on out.

He swore it.

"Thanks," she said shyly. "I didn't mean to unload my issues onto you like that."

"I'm glad you did," Paul replied sincerely, his hand already itching to touch hers again. "You said you were in Phoenix. That's Arizona, right? Do you remember anything else about the man?"

He didn't want to grill his mate but Paul wasn't sure if he'd ever get the chance again. He didn't want for her to keep reliving the memory in her mind.

"Yes, Arizona, and I can't remember anything but his eyes that turned from gold to black. Just for the record I know it was probably the stress and adrenaline that made me see things, so even if you're silently thinking I'm crazy you don't have to."

"I'm not—"

"But enough about that," Bella said with false cheer. "Let's talk about you. How old are you?"

He took the conversation change in stride. "Twenty."

She whistled low. "Wow. Your voice sounds much older. No offence."

"None taken. How old are you?"

"Just turned seventeen."

"Shouldn't you be at school then? Do they have one around here for..."

"For blind people? I don't think so. I go to the local high-school but I hate it there. I hate having to rely on the teachers to move from classroom to classroom and they always make this annoyed little sigh as if I'm this terrible burden they have to deal with. They get paid for it, you know? It's humiliating. Plus there are some mean kids that think it's funny to twirl me around 'accidentally' so I've lost my bearings or where the stairs are."

" _What?"_ Paul all but yelled. Great, now his weekend was going to be filled with tearing out more throats. He didn't mind though, anything to make Bella's life easier. "Who?"

She waved his question off. "Doesn't matter. It's only for one more year. I can handle a few bullies."

"So can I," he said. "You shouldn't have to be worried about falling down stairs and breaking your neck. Don't you have a guide dog to help you out or somethin'?"

"We're on the waiting list for one. Apparently there are more visually disabled people than I realised and it's expensive to train a guide dog."

An idea skipped through Paul's mind as he mulled over her words. One that he wasn't sure if he could pull off, but when Bella sighed, almost dejectedly, and tipped her head back against the couch, he knew he had to give it a try.

His throat tightened at the thought of lying to his mate but he pressed on passed it. "So I had a blind uncle that—"

"I thought it was your aunt."

Paul stiffened. "Right. Aunt. She had a guide dog to help her when she needed it, but he wasn't — _isn't_ — a pretty or conventional dog. He's not a labrador or golden retriever or whatever breed they're using now."

"What is he?" Bella asked softly, curiously. She tried to find and hold his gaze, and Paul's heart dipped as she stared intently at his upper lip.

"Wolf."

"A wolf?" she gasped. "Like a hybrid?"

"No. A pure wolf."

"That's crazy. No-one could tame a wolf let alone get it into a harness and expect it to behave or learn guide dog behaviours."

Damn. Paul had forgotten the finer details of what it'd mean to be a guide dog. Even if he wanted to, a harness would never fit over his thick body.

"He didn't wear a harness. He's too big, but he'd stand at the right height for my aunt to simply hold onto his fur. She passed away recently and I've taken him in to live with me, but perhaps during weekdays while you're at school you could make use of him? He's the smartest wolf you'll ever meet."

"Me? Have a wolf as a guide dog?" She tried to laugh but it came out breathy. Paul couldn't place the range of emotions that passed over her face: hope and regret? "When I first found out I couldn't get a dog right away I was kind of glad. It made my blindness seem less real in a way. I wasn't _that_ blind if I wasn't using a guide dog or a cane or learning how to read braille. If I ignored it for long enough, some part of me was hoping I'd suddenly just wake up with my eyesight back."

Paul let the silence stretch out between them, unsure about what to say or whether she wanted comfort.

"I think I'd like to try," Bella said and gave him another wondrous smile. "If that's okay, I'd like to try your guide-wolf. What's his name?"

"Paul," he said without thinking and then spluttered. "My aunt named him after me."

"I'm sorry to hear about her passing."

"Thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. He felt the presence of his alpha before he looked up, to see Jacob staring daggers at him. A 'what the hell do you think you're doing?' look on his face. Paul glanced away.

"How does it work? What training would he need?" Bella asked.

"I just need your timetable and classes, and I'll teach wolf-Paul everything he needs to know. Commands. Specific words. So that when it's time to get to one class you can tell him and he'll find his way."

"You're kidding," she said breathlessly. "That's amazing!"

"Like I said, he's a smart wolf. I'll teach him the layout of the school tonight and whenever you get a copy of your timetable—"

"I've got one right here," Bella interrupted, and patted down the pockets of her jacket before removing a piece of neatly folded paper.

Paul took it gently from her hands. The words written on it weren't in braille, they were basic English words: math, bio, chem, with their respective times and rooms next to them. However each word seemed to be written in a heavy gel, thick enough that it formed a 3D shape on the paper, allowing someone like Bella to feel the words instead of read them.

He pocketed it quickly.

"I'll have him ready for you by tomorrow morning. I'll get Jake or Embry to bring him around to your place before school."

"You can't bring him?" she asked, and Paul's chest puffed with pride at the pout in her voice.

He wished he could bring himself around, be the one to drive her to school and then shift, but he knew it would be too much too fast. She'd want to say goodbye to him and he wouldn't be able to respond in wolf form.

One day, he promised himself, one day she'll know everything.

"I have to open this place up early so I can't be there, but Embry's a good guy. And you already know Jake."

Jacob shuffled on his feet from his spot near the door and retreated back to the waiting cars.

"Yeah," she said before reaching forward and catching Paul by his forearms. She slid her hands down until she was grasping his own. "Thank you so much for this. You don't know how much it means to me."

He didn't dare move for fear she'd leave. "It's nothing, really. The mutt has too much free time on his paws."

"I'd bake you a cake if I could but I have to dip my fingers into everything to measure now, and checking the heat of ovens or stovetops that way got old real fast."

"You were checking cooktops' heat by _hand_?" His hand tightened over hers.

"Only the once," she laughed. "I learnt my lesson the hard way."

Paul smothered the whine in his throat when Bella dropped her hands out of his. Again. "I wouldn't mind your fingers in my food but I don't need a cake. Not for helping you, I'd do that for free."

"Why, Mr. Lahote, you _are_ a charmer."

Paul felt the heat of a blush creep up his scarred neck and glared around the room in case anyone was watching him.

They spent the majority of the day on that couch, talking about nothing in particular (although Paul absorbed every sentence Bella uttered). Paul was transfixed, spellbound, and couldn't get enough. It wasn't until after lunch, when she started fidgeting uncomfortably that he realised she was probably not as overwhelmed by his presence as he was by hers.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked, watching her change positions on the couch for the tenth time. "Stretch your legs?"

Bella shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not very fond of walking around new places."

"I wouldn't mind helping," he insisted but she shook her head again, her face a deep pink.

"I appreciate the thought but I'd rather not. I like talking to you and I'd be way too embarrassed to keep doing that after you see me with my arms out, going half a foot a minute."

"Okay, we won't do it today but you'll need to learn there's nothing, _nothing,_ you can do in front of me that will cause you embarrassment or make me want to leave. You'll trust me on that soon enough."

She laughed lightly. "When you come onto a girl you don't hold back, do you?"

"Usually I would," he smiled before turning serious, "but not now. Not with you."

Bella leaned forward to replace her hands back on Paul's forearms. "In that case, can I ask you for something personal?"

"You want to feel my face," Paul guessed sourly, judging by the way Bella's eyes were roving around where his face would be, if he was a little shorter.

"I know it's very personal and intimate, and you shouldn't feel like you have to, I'm just going out of my mind with curiosity. We've only known each other a few hours but already I feel such a connection to you. It's driving me crazy that I can't picture what you look like."

"I'm tall and Quileute."

"That doesn't really tell me anything apart from that you most likely have dark skin and hair."

"I want you to know me, to see me with your hands, but I'm…" Paul swallowed harshly. "I'm afraid you'll never want to speak to me again when you do. I've made people throw up before just from the sight of me. Women have fainted."

The grip on Paul's arm tightened. "That's terrible! I promise you there's nothing about your face that will turn me away. I can't even see it."

"You'd feel it and that might be worse. You can't know for sure that it won't repulse you."

Paul could feel her about to back away in defeat, to retreat into herself again and put distance between them. Before he could convince himself not to he took her small hands in his, and placed them on the sides of his neck.

"Oh," she merely said, her fingers trailing over the puckered, scarred skin.

The feeling was wondrous and Paul wanted to close his eyes to savour the sensation but instead he steeled himself for the inevitable rejection.

Her fingers continued up, hovering around his chin and the sides of his face. A fingertip dipped into one of the numerous holes in his face, covered only by torn, flapping skin, but she didn't utter a word of revulsion.

As her hands continued their exploration Paul studied his mate, hope blooming in his chest for the first time. He wouldn't let himself hope too much for a perfect start, but he was now determined that even if she thought him too disgusting to be around he'd change her mind somehow. He wasn't about to let her go.

There was only so much physical contact with his imprint a man could take. Especially when that contact wasn't repulsing said imprint.

When she reached the middle of his face, where his nose should be, she stopped.

"I…" She felt around his eye sockets again before coming back down to his nose. "There's no…"

"I'm missing most of my nose."

She said nothing but smoothed her hands once more over his face before cupping his cheeks softly. "Thank you for trusting me with your face, Paul. I didn't know what I expected but it wasn't that. Nothing about your features repulsed me in the slightest, I'm only sorry I pushed to feel it before you were completely comfortable with the idea. But I'm not sorry I felt it. I'm not sorry to have gotten to know you better in that way."

Paul felt the harsh sting of tears behind his eyes but he'd be damned if he let them fall. Whoever called Fate a bitch was a filthy liar. Fate couldn't have been kinder than this day, when she sent to him the unbelievable woman that was Bella Swan.

Paul tilted his face into her palm. "I'm going to be so good to you," he whispered. "I promise."

Bella pulled her hands away in surprise but before she could ask what he meant Jacob reappeared at the entrance.

"Hey, Bella," he said, glaring at Paul again instead of looking her way at all. "Charlie just called wanting to know whether he needs to pick you up. I told him I'd take you home. Are you ready to go?"

"Oh," she said, jumping up from the couch with Paul right on her heels to steady her. "I didn't realise it was late. Paul and I were so caught up in talking that time must've just flown by. I hope you're not too mad at me for keeping him away from his job this long."

"Nah, apparently we were closed up for the day."

Strolling over Jacob took Bella by the arm and helped her to the door. It was only the fact that Jacob was his alpha that had Paul keeping his tongue _and_ his fists to himself.

"Watch yourself," he growled low enough for Jacob to hear but not Bella.

"You watch it. When I get back we're going to have a long talk about what it means to be _working_ here."

"Thanks for an awesome day," Bella said to Paul, oblivious to the men's conversation, before Jacob could manoeuvre her outside. "It's been so long since I had anything real with someone, you know? I really hope I see you again, if not I might have to buy a car and crash it to have an excuse to bring it around."

"You don't need an excuse to come here _or_ to see me."

She continued on, "And no pressure about having wolf-Paul accompany me to school. If you can't teach him or don't have the time that's fine."

"I'm going to see you again tomorrow, Bella," Paul said, his voice low and gravelly. "And wolf-Paul will be at your house before school starts. I promise."

"You're an amazing man, Paul Lahote," she said and Paul once again felt his heart skip a beat. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow."

* * *

The car ride to Bella's house the next morning took far too long, in Paul's opinion. He'd waited over thirteen hours to see his mate again and he was getting impatient.

Already in wolf form, Paul cocked his head out of the truck's open window, his fur ruffling in the breeze as he took in the passing trees and scenery. He wondered for a moment if he'd have to groom himself to be more presentable when he got out, before bitterly remembering no amount of grooming and licking could regrow his fur at his bald patches.

"You can't growl at anything a human says as though you understood them," Jacob reminded him as he drove. "Let them think you're smart, trained, but not human intelligent."

 _I know. I'm not going to put my own imprint in danger._ Jacob couldn't hear his thoughts when he was in his human skin, which Paul was thankful for. He still wasn't sure if Jacob had a crush on his mate — he didn't mention it last night when Paul had talked in detail about his imprinting, instead congratulating Paul — but he wasn't up to fighting over it when he had more important things to do today: biting a chunk of meat out of Bella's bullies and making sure she doesn't fall down any stairs.

"Okay, we're here."

Paul used his paw to unlock the door and was bounding up the steps to Bella's house before Jacob could restrain him. His massive body knocked against the door and he used his paws to scratch at the panels.

The Chief opened the door half a minute later and stared down at wolf-Paul in horror before throwing the door back in his snout.

"What the ever-loving fuck?" Paul heard Chief Swan yell as he yanked open cabinets or chests from inside the house. "No! Don't go out there Bella. There's a massive, goddamn ugly wolf sitting on the front step."

"Dad!" she exclaimed. "That must be wolf-Paul. I told you about him yesterday and how he might be here to help me get around school today."

The door reopened. Chief Swan levelled the shotgun in his hand in Paul's face, who wasn't surprised to see it and sat calmly and patiently, knowing aggressive or sudden movements were likely to startle the man into shooting. He was going to have to have a few hard words with the police chief later about keeping loaded guns in a house with a blind girl.

"Charlie," Jacob said calmly, walking up the path to the house. "You can put the gun down. The wolf's specially trained for assisting people and I can personally vouch for his safety. Your daughter couldn't be in better hands. Or paws, rather."

"A _gun_ , Dad?" Paul heard and shifted to the side to look into the house.

Bella was tittering around aimlessly, not quite able to find her bearings. He bounded past the Chief and to his mate's side, pressing heavily against her leg until he felt her hand curl into his coarse fur.

"Wow," she whispered. "He wasn't lying, you're a huge boy, aren't you?"

Paul softly barked once in pride.

"I don't know what commands you know or don't know, but can you help me outside? I'm not used to this layout yet."

He walked lightly and cautiously forward with her, tugging sharply to the left or the right when she needed to move aside. When they reached the raised doorstep he nudged her hand up, letting her know she needed to lift her foot up. She figured it out quickly and when she was next to her father Paul sat on his rump and barked once.

"Wow," she breathed again, stroking his fur gently. "I had no idea a wolf could be so well trained. You're an amazing creature."

The tail he was sitting on started to shake in joy at her. Not caring about what his alpha might think, Paul turned and slobbered his tongue all over Bella's hand, licking every inch of available skin.

"All right, all right," she laughed and shook the saliva off. "Friendly too."

"Now, Bella," Charlie started. "I don't think having this animal around is such a great idea. He looks like he has fleas or ticks, he's mangled and matted, and it also looks like he's been in many fights judging from the great gash in his snout and all the missing fur. He must be aggressive. I'll try to get you bumped up the waiting list for a better dog. A Labrador."

Bella knelt down and pressed her face into Paul's neck. "I don't want a lab. I'm already in love with this one. I've never felt so comfortable just walking around than I just did with wolf-Paul."

 _Love?_ Paul barked loudly in joy and resumed licking what he could of her. _Hear that Jake? She already loves me._

"I'd have you not talk about the wolf like that, Charlie," Jacob said with a deep frown. "We took him in from an abusive home where he was forced to fight. That's why he's missing pieces of himself. He's a gentle giant and can be a great help to Bella, regardless of his looks."

"Don't listen to them," Bella whispered to Paul, and smoothed a finger over the scarred skin on one of his furless patches. "I think you're beautiful. Who's a handsome boy? Who's the most handsome wolf in the world?"

Baby talk from anyone, _anyone_ , else would've annoyed him but when it was Bella doing it Paul puffed his chest up with pride and happiness, and he barked.

_Me. I'm the most handsome wolf._

"Yes you are."

"Chief, we have to get going," Jacob said and Paul could see the smile wanting to crack when he listened to Bella's coos. "If you don't want the wolf around tell me now but know Bella will have no help at the school if you send Paul away."

"Her teachers help. I've talked to all of them and the principal and they're all very happy to help her get around."

"They're not, Dad," Bella sighed. "I'm a huge burden to them. Most of the time I have to try to _find_ them, or call out for help when classes finish. The only reason they agreed was because you're the police chief and they're scared of any repercussions."

Charlie's face flushed dark red in anger, from his neck to the tips of his ears. "They _what_? What do you mean they don't help you? They should be helping you the moment every class starts and ends. You and I are going to the school right now to get this sorted out."

"No, Dad. I want to try spending today with wolf-Paul. What's the worse that can happen? I've already spent dozens by myself."

"Your teachers are there to help their students. If they're not doing that we should—"

"It doesn't matter how much you threaten them or tell them to help me. They don't want to. They're only human after all and they've got enough on their plate. Please, just let me _try_ to get through the day with Paul. One day. Human Paul probably spent so long training him last night just for me."

That was an understatement. Paul, who'd never set foot in Forks' high school before, studied the blueprints, maps, and images of the school, memorizing every section, every door, every access point he could. He watched videos students had posted online and absorbed all the details.

Charlie looked at Paul wearily, watching his daughter stroke the wolf's bald spots. He sighed. "Okay. You can have a trial run with him for one day but that's it. If it doesn't work out I'm marching into your school for a showdown."

Bella hugged wolf-Paul once more before standing tall. "Great! Thanks, Dad." She tilted her head towards Paul. "C'mon boy, let's get to the car."

Jacob opened the truck's front door for her. "Do you want to sit in the front?"

"Can I sit in the back with wolf-Paul? I feel like we should be bonding, or something. Get to know each other if we'll be spending days together."

"Yeah, you can do that," he laughed and helped her up into the back. "Hold onto him tight. No seat belts back there."

* * *

By the time they reached the school Bella had spilled almost her whole life to Paul, who had his massive head resting on her lap, entranced by her stories. Jacob had thought she was talking to him, but she simply said she wanted the wolf to get used to her voice. Part of the bonding thing, she said.

"So then we had to get rid of our cat," she continued. "After they married because he was allergic to cats. I hated him for that. I don't know why my mom picked him over Whiskers — that was our cat's name, very original I know."

"We're here, Bella."

"Oh." Paul lifted his head off her lap just enough for her to slide off and out. "I'll finish the story another time."

Paul raced out and around the truck in record speed, pressing up against her leg before she had even steadied herself.

"Do you need help getting inside the building?" Jacob asked. He put the clutch into neutral and let the car idle. "Your new guide dog — guide wolf — will be able to understand pretty much every command you can throw at him so he can help you in but if you want a human I'm more than happy to stay around. And I promise you I genuinely want to help, not like your teachers."

Bella threw him a grateful smile and ruffled Paul's fur. "I really appreciate the offer but it's okay, I trust wolf-Paul. We'll be okay."

"You can just call him Paul if you want."

"I know but then I might get them confused with each other."

"Wouldn't be the worst thing that can happen," he laughed. "I'll wait here until you get safely inside anyway."

"Thanks. Okay, wolf-Paul. Let's see what you can do. Door."

Paul barked once in confusion, not sure if she wanted the truck's door re-opened or if she wanted to walk to the school's door.

Jacob laughed heartily. "He's smarter than that, you don't have to be so vague or he'll get confused."

"Oh, sorry. Okay, wolf-Paul, I'd like to get to my first class, inside the school."

 _That was better,_ Paul though as he started to walk in the right direction. He made Bella sidestep any potholes, puddles, and loose rocks, and when they reached the stairs he barked once more and tugged her hand up. Using his snout he guided her hand up to the railing.

"The stairs. Wow, normally I trip at least twice getting here, and most mornings it's like navigating a minefield. You're already the greatest."

Paul yipped and walked slowly behind her in case she fell backwards. When she reached the last step he barked again to let her know.

"I remember the number of stairs to stop at but thank you anyway," she said and pressed her hand back into his fur.

She was nervous. He could tell just from the sweat seeping off her palm but with him there she had no need to be. Unless she was nervous about what the other students might say, because they were all slowing down around them, whispering and pointing at Paul, who by all definitions was the closest thing they'd ever come to seeing a real beast.

More than a few snapped a picture of him but he ignored them. If it became viral on the internet he'd worry about that then. At this moment all he cared about was getting his mate safely to her classes.

"What's today," Bella muttered to herself. "Tuesday. So my first class is Bio in room 2E, if you could help me there please, wolf-Paul. 2E."

He did and he did it _without_ taking a bite out of all the whispering students, for which he was extremely proud of himself. Paul guided her easily up the flight of stairs, sticking close to her for stability, into the classroom labelled 2E and towards a seat at the very back so he had room to stretch out behind her.

The other students soon came pouring in at the same time, one minute before classes were to start and they took up all the spare seats around them. They didn't notice Paul lounging about behind them until one girl screamed and pointed.

"Oh my God! There's a wolf in here! There's a wolf!"

Other female students joined in the screaming — which was more like squealing because they weren't _truly_ scared — and the males hid their fear with a few 'cool!'s and 'sick!'s thrown about. Bella reached back to find him and Paul nudged her hand with his head, reassuring her he was there.

"Stop screaming," she said firmly. "He's here for me. He's a guide dog and he's been a big help so far so stop scaring him."

"That's not a dog, that's a wolf!"

Bella sighed. "I know but he's trained just the same. Please don't make a scene, he's really very friendly."

"Can I touch him?"

Suddenly all the other students lost their fear and were clambering around to touch him. Paul couldn't help his hackles raising in dislike. He barked once in warning.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Bella said. "I don't want to distract him from his job."

"I wouldn't distract him," one female said. The door opened and an adult male walked through carrying a briefcase. "I just want to touch— oh, sir! Sir! Look at what Bella has. It's a wolf. She brought a wolf in."

The teacher took one look at Paul lying comfortably next to Bella's chair and slammed his briefcase down on his desk. Paul's head jerked up in surprise. "Everyone out! Slowly. Don't give it cause to attack. No-one is to get near that animal. I'll call Harold and get him to contact Animal Control."

"Wait, sir!" Bella called. "Paul's not a wild animal, he's my guide dog. He belongs to someone very special to me and he's highly trained. Please don't call Mr. Greene."

"Miss Swan that's a very dangerous animal you have there. I realise you won't be able to see that because you're _blind_ but it's a large wolf, _not_ a guide dog. Animal Control must be called in. I won't put the other students at risk for you."

"He's not a risk to anyone. Look at him." She curled her fingers in his fur and he rumbled out satisfaction. "He hasn't even moved. Plus my father, the police chief, would have already called Mr. Greene this morning to tell him I'd be having help for the day and to give my helper a trial run."

The teacher stalked out, throwing a, "I will check this out, nobody move," on his way. The second he was gone the students regrouped around Bella and Paul, all asking questions to her at the same time and trying once more to pat the large wolf.

He let the few adventurous students touch him when they got close enough, restraining himself, knowing it would only be harder on Bella if he became aggressive. But when one male reached out to touch her loose curls instead of his fur he pounced, snapping his jaws in the boy's direction. The boy screamed, as did a lot of the girls, and snatched his hand back with a whimper.

Satisfied, Paul sat back down next to Bella and urged her to run her hands back over him but she was too distracted.

"What's happening? What was that sound? Why is everyone screaming?"

Paul whined, upset that his mate was having trouble understanding what was going on. He licked her hand and sat a paw up on her thigh, which she automatically begun to stroke.

"What happened?"

"Your wolf snapped at Justin."

"He didn't," Bella gasped. "Why? What was Justin doing?"

"Nothing," Justin said briskly. "I wasn't doing nothin'. He snapped at me for no good reason. I should tell Mr. Greene your mutt attacked me."

Paul growled low at him again, staring him down with his far-too-knowing eyes until the weak human boy shied away from his gaze.

"Were you trying to touch my hair again?" Bella said coldly, Paul didn't think she could be so cold. "You did didn't you. You tell the principal and I'll tell my father, the _police chief_ , that you were harassing me and trying to physically touch a blind girl without her consent."

The students began a heated discussion on what does and doesn't constitute physical assault, and had only calmed down marginally when the teacher came back in. He gestured for Bella to come outside.

_She can't see you, asshole._

"Miss Swan, you've been dismissed for the day. Your father is coming in to sign some legal liability papers along with others for your new companion. Until he does, though, your helper is not allowed inside this building or anywhere on school grounds."

"What am I supposed to do then?" she asked as she gathered her things and clumsily put them back in her backpack.

"Your father has asked me to tell you that he's already called one Jacob Black and Paul Lamone who will meet you where he dropped you off this morning."

"Lamone? You mean Paul Lahote?"

"Yes that was it. Please, gather your things and leave so I can continue class."

Bella was about to tell wolf-Paul where she needed to go but she was further bombarded with questions before she could speak, their teacher and class forgotten about in the excitement.

"You know Paul Lahote?" one guy asked. "Have you seen— do you even know what he looks like? He's the ugliest motherfucker I've ever seen. My girlfriend was down on the Indian Reservation one day and she snapped a picture of him when he wasn't looking. Horrific."

 _Yeah, that's happened quite a few times,_ Paul thought. It bothered him at first and he picked fights with everyone who did it, male or female, but now he simply didn't care. And he doubly didn't care about it now that he found his imprint.

"Are you two dating?" the boy continued as Bella slung her bag onto her back and reached for Paul. "Wouldn't that be ironic? A chick who can't see and the ugliest piece of—"

_Slap!_

The crack of Bella's hand against the boy's face stunned the students into silence. The boy gingerly placed his palm on his reddening cheek and Bella sucked in a breath. Paul stood stiffly at attention, watchful at her side, ready to intervene in case things got ugly. If he had to bite off the boy's arm to stop him from retaliating he would.

Inside though, his heart pounded and he was whooping with joy that his mate had defended the both of them, especially because he couldn't defend himself as a man.

"Paul Lahote is a good man," she said raggedly. "I won't hear you talk about him like that."

"Miss Swan!" the teacher yelled. "You've just assaulted a fellow student. I'll add that to the list of things I need to talk to Harold about regarding you."

"It was an accident," Bella countered innocently. "I'm blind. I was moving my arm about to get a sense of direction and I must have hit him. I didn't mean to."

"You and your dog have to _leave_. Right now."

"I'm going, I'm going," she said and bent down to tell Paul, "Can you help me get outside? Out of the school? Go back to where we came from? Do you understand?"

Paul dipped his head and helped guide her through the throng of stunned students, down the school's hallways, and down the long winding stairs. A few of the people who looked like they might be ones to give Bella a hard time (big, burly, and mean) took one glance at the massive wolf at her side and fled in the opposite direction. He was both pleased with the fact and annoyed that it would take him a while to find the bullies responsible for Bella's staircase drama if they all kept running from him.

Jacob was already there with his truck by the time they made it outside, holding a spare set of clothes in his hands.

"That didn't last long," he teased and gestured non-verbally for Paul to change in the nearby forest. "Guess they said no to having a wolf as a guide dog."

"Just some legal formalities that need to be signed," Bella shrugged. She felt Paul try to pull away and she held on tighter. "Hey, what's wrong? Where are you going?"

"I'll take wolf-Paul back for now, but human Paul is here to see you."

"He is? Where is he?" Bella said breathlessly, and let go off the wolf to run her fingers through her hair and pinch her cheeks to put some pink in them.

Paul grinned at her efforts to make herself look pretty for _him_ , the ugliest bastard in the state, snatched the clothes out of Jacob's hands with his teeth and bounded away as fast as he could to change. He was back, fully clothed, sweaty and breathless less than three minutes later.

"Did he come with you?" he heard Bella ask and he jogged to catch up with her.

"I'm right here." He ran a hand over her arm and she gripped it.

Jacob threw him the keys. "Take the truck. I'm taking wolf-Paul home another way."

"Can I say goodbye to him?" Bella asked hopefully. Jacob bit his lip and turned away in guilt.

"I've already got him sleeping but you can talk to him all you want tomorrow morning when I bring him back around for school again. That is, if he's allowed."

"You don't know how much what you two are doing means to me," she sniffed. "I'm disrupting your days, and you've given me the opportunity to enjoy school again because of wolf-Paul. I'm just so grateful I can barely express it."

Paul snuck a hand around her waist and pulled her firmly to his side. He kissed the top of her head lightly and when she didn't pull away he smiled against her hair. "Trust me when I say we want to do this. It's not a hassle, and even if it was you would be worth every second."

"I'll let you two get reacquainted," Jacob said with a sly wink. "Bye, Bella. Get Paul to bring you around to Emily's house sometime, even tonight for dinner if you want, to meet the rest of the gang. She's a fantastic cook."

"I'll see if I can convince him," Bella laughed. "Bye Jake. Thanks again for everything today."

"No problem, hun."

Paul watched his alpha stalk away and towards the forest, probably to shift forms so he could cover more ground rather than having to walk home. Yesterday they talked about what they would do, and they arranged it this way so that Bella wouldn't try to sit in the backseat with a non-existent wolf-Paul while human Paul was with her.

"Well, apart from being kicked out of school before it barely begun, how did it go?" he asked.

She turned her face up to him and smiled another one of her beautiful, bright smiles. "It was so amazing. He understood everything I said! And more than that, he helped me so effortlessly with everything. I felt so connected to him. I knew what he was trying to do, when I had to step left or right. When I had to step up or slow down. I don't think I can go back to having no companion after him."

"You won't have to," Paul said, brushing a stray lock of hair off her face. "I won't let them take him from you. If they won't allow him at your school you can get your education on the Reservation."

"Really? Do you think they'd allow me there?"

"Of course. Jake and I would vouch for you, and that way I'd be close in case there's trouble."

Bella reached for Paul's face and he dipped down low enough for her to cup his cheeks, her fingers running over the torn skin and holes around his cheekbones. "This is the first time in a long time I've felt hope for the future. And I know it's all because of you. It's you, and I'd really like… if you're okay with it, of course… I'd really like to kiss you right now."

His heart skipped a beat and he stopped breathing, thinking if he moved an inch she'd change mind. "I wouldn't stop you," he breathed.

"I'll need some help," she laughed nervously. "Or I'll end up kissing your chin."

Without another word he covered her mouth with his and closed his eyes at the extraordinary taste and feel of his mate. Pure, unimaginable bliss. He deepened the kiss and moaned when she gently, shyly, begun to explore his mouth with her tongue.

She pulled back one second later with a blush. "Sorry, I've never kissed before. I don't really know what I'm doing."

"Whatever it is you're doing, you're doing it perfectly."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

And his head dipped once more to steal another kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I have the feeling this is the start of something wonderful," she whispered as she broke away, keeping her misty eyes closed.

"Babe, you have _no_ idea."


End file.
